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Posted : 2014-05-25 16:58
Updated : 2014-05-25 21:34

Cat-and-mouse game continues for Yoo clan

Yoo Byeung-eunYoo Dae-gyun

Reward raised to W500 million

By Lee Hyo-sik


Investigators have arrested four followers of a religious cult led by Yoo Byeung-eun, the de-facto owner of the sunken ferry Sewol, for helping the nation's most wanted fugitive evade prosecutors.

On Sunday, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office raised the initial reward of 50 million won tenfold to 500 million won ($488,000) for anyone providing tips leading to Yoo's arrest.

Those who help apprehend his eldest son Dae-gyun will receive 100 million won, up from the previous 30 million won.

"Many said the rewards for the two fugitives were too small. So, we decided to increase the amounts," a prosecutor said.

The prosecution has received dozens of tips nationwide regarding the whereabouts of the two suspects, but none have so far led to their arrest.

The prosecutors' office said that it took the followers of the Salvation Sect into custody for questioning over whether they had helped the former Semo Group Chairman Yoo escape Geumsuwon, the stronghold of the sect, ahead of a prosecution raid on May 21.

The followers are suspected of providing Yoo with mobile phones and other items. Yoo is suspected of embezzlement, tax evasion and other irregularities that could be related to the ferry disaster.

Investigators are quizzing the suspects over the whereabouts of Yoo and his son Dae-gyun. An arrest warrant for Dae-gyun was issued on May 13.

Protesting the arrest of the four, about 500 sect followers staged a rally in front of the prosecutors' office, Sunday, demanding their release.

According to the prosecution, one suspect was seen helping Yoo on surveillance cameras installed in the religious compound in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. The video records were confiscated during last week's raid. With a search-and-seizure warrant, about 80 investigators raided Geumsuwon to take Yoo and his son into custody. But they left without the two suspects.

The prosecution said those who offer the two Yoos shelter or help them evade investigators will be severely punished. Under the Criminal Law, people who shelter criminals or assist them in fleeing from justice are subject to at least three years in jail or a maximum fine of 5 million won.

On May 23, police cars were involved in a chase in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, after receiving a tip from a resident who claimed to have spotted people who look like the two Yoos get into a black sedan. But police couldn't verify the claim after failing to catch the sedan.

The prosecution confirmed that Yoo had stayed in the neighboring city of Suncheon, but has moved somewhere else.

In the meantime, the prosecution said Yoo and his family members may own about 150 apartments in Anseong. The properties are all registered in the name of one of Yoo's close aides and are leased to different tenants. The apartments are only three kilometers from Geumsuwon.

Investigators suspect that the properties were bought with Yoo's money, and are looking into how his aide purchased them and where the funds came from. They are also checking whether rent money was wired to Yoo or his family members.

The prosecution plans to seize the titles all the apartments if they are found to be Yoo's assets purchased using borrowed names.

관련 한글 기사

檢, 유병언 도피 도운 구원파 신도 체포

범인도피죄 적용 첫 사례…신도 10여명 인천지검 항의방문

'세월호 실소유주 비리'를 수사 중인 인천지검 특별수사팀(팀장 김회종 2차장검사)은 25일 유병언(73) 전 세모그룹 회장(청해진해운 회장)의 도피를 도운 혐의로 A씨를 체포해 조사 중이다.

검찰은 금수원 압수수색에서 확보한 폐쇄회로(CC) TV를 분석하는 과정에서 A씨가 유씨의 도피를 도운 정황을 확인하고 범인도피죄를 적용한 것으로 알려졌다.

검찰은 현재 A씨를 상대로 유씨와 장남 대균(44)씨의 소재를 강도 높게 캐묻고 있는 것으로 전해졌다.

기독교복음침례회(일명 구원파) 신도인 A씨의 체포 사실이 알려지면서 구원파 소속 신도 10여명이 이날 새벽 인천 남구 소재 인천지검 청사를 항의방문했다.

유씨와 대균씨가 잠적한 이후 범인은닉도피 혐의가 적용돼 검찰에 체포된 피의자는 A씨가 처음이다.

검찰은 지난 21일 금수원 압수수색에서 유씨 부자 검거에 실패하자 '향후 수사 과정에서 유씨 부자를 비호하거나 숨겨준 사실이 드러나면 범인은닉도피죄로 엄중 처벌할 것'이라고 경고한 바 있다.

형법 151조에는 벌금 이상의 형에 해당하는 죄를 범한 자를 은닉 또는 도피하게 한 자는 3년 이하의 징역 또는 500만원 이하의 벌금에 처하도록 규정돼 있다.

검찰은 유씨 부자를 현상수배한 이후 제보가 늘어나고 있으며 제보 접수 시 검·경이 출동해 현장을 확인하고 있다고 설명했다.

유씨 부자가 전남 여수에 나타내 이를 쫓는 검·경과 차량 추격전을 벌였다는 보도가 나왔으나 검찰은 '실제로 유씨 부자가 타고 있었는지 확인되지 않았다'면서 '전국적으로 비슷한 제보가 들어오고 있다'고 말했다. (연합뉴스)


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